Cat C-1 jump - #5 - A couple of loads later...

After the morning's debrief, I think I had a better handle on why I had such a crappy climbout. Grant and Matt told me not to worry about time. They factor in more time for students. This time, I took my time, watched my hand placement, watched my foot placement, and shoved my knees and belly and everything in between out the door, then stood right up. I was still a little weak on the exit count. I just need to push up on the balls of my feet a little more for "up" and that will probably fix that. Because I was completely (except for my right hand) outside the plane, I didn't kick off hard. I did sort of roll to the left a bit. I'm close on this part.

Matt was debating what, if anything, to tell me as I checked with him on reserve side during my first COA. I got impatient and moved to Grant on main side. I knew I shouldn't have done that. I did. I got a legs-out from Grant.

Both Matt and Grant released. We're not 100% positive about this, but it looks like I made way too much motion checking altitude and started turning left. I went around 1 and a half revolutions. Matt came in and did a block stop. Basically, he put his hands on me enough to stop the spin. I thought he redocked with me, because I definitely felt him. I also knew that this meant that he had switched sides, which also meant that both guys had released, which I didn't know before then!

After Matt stopped my spin, I stayed on heading, stayed in good body position, and did the rest of the skydive just as planned.

I could have stood this one up on landing, too. I felt like I had complete control of everything, flared at the right time, flared smoothly, and I knew that I was going to hit the ground just about right. At the last second, I made the conscious decision to PLF. I'm not exactly sure why - maybe it was a reaction to the training that says that landings with very little wind are harder than with a steady 10 mph or so breeze. At least I now know that I'm fully capable of standing up the landing!

And, I'm cleared for Cat C-2! Woo-hoo!

Cat C-1 jump - #4

Grant prepped me. Really, not much to prep. I know how this is supposed to go. I did ask to spend a few minutes in the King Air mock-up, which has roughly the same opening as the Caravan. Definitely close enough to get the feel. I thought I had it.

Didn't have it. I'm not completely sure where my mind went wrong, but I had some trouble getting my feet right, I never really got completely outside the plane, and I wasn't up straight. The advice I got was to not worry about rushing it, to take my time to get my feet right, my hands right, and my knees and hips right.

Reserve side - Vic. Main side - Grant.

Kicked on exit. Flipped over. Vic released until we got stable.

Pretty good arch, until my practice touch. I flattened out and brought my feet up toward my butt. The consensus is that I'm just over-thinking everything. I'm concentrating so hard on my arch that I completely lose focus of it when I have to think about my practice touch. That doesn't sound like me at all! (Uh, that's sarcasm folks.)

I had some trouble picking up a heading. Possibly because I'm aiming myself at a certain point, rather than taking in the big picture.

Maintained good altitude awareness. Locked on at 6000, waved & pulled at 5500. Clean opening, good canopy. I had some fun flying around. Did some complete 360s, some hard turns, S-turns, flares. Grant radioed that the landing pattern switched, so I had to readjust my mental picture of my entry point. Got in the pattern OK.

I was focused too much on the ground at flare time. I should have been looking more out toward the horizon. This wasn't my best PLF, but I didn't get hurt, so it must have been a good enough PLF!

Vic helped my understand the flow of gathering up the chute. Velcro toggles, move the lines up toward the canopy while pushing the slider ahead. Get a grip on the bag, pilot chute, and tail (label) of the canopy. Throw it over my shoulder and walk.